‘To Code, or Not to Code’: Unpacking the Understanding and Difficulties of Citizen Development Programs

IT departments are finding it challenging to keep up with the fast-paced need for digital solutions due to a shortage of skilled software developers. As a response, many companies are adopting low-code and no-code approaches to cultivate and empower a new cohort of employees: the citizen developers. While the practice community has been discussing the Citizen Development phenomenon for some time now, research lags behind, leading to a dearth of conceptual clarity in understanding the terms low-code, no-code, and Citizen Development. This paper connects the dots and proposes a more harmonized conceptual understanding of these related but distinct terms. Additionally, we explore the practical difficulties associated with Citizen Development approaches as identified by professionals in the field. Our key contribution is a clearer terminology and understanding of Citizen Development that can enhance both scholarly inquiry and practical application, facilitating clearer communication and more precise discussions.